1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to metal (dialkylaminoalcoholate) solutions which can serve, for example, as a source of metal for the manufacture of metal oxide superconductor compositions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is currently much interest in high T.sub.c superconductor compositions which are metal oxides. Representative metal components in such compositions include: copper, yttrium, barium, calcium, bismuth, lanthanum, strontium, and the like. These metal moieties are termed "metal oxide superconductor precursor" metals in accordance with the present invention which is directed to certain novel compounds containing such precursor moieties, solutions containing them which find use in conjunction with chemical means to form the ultimately desired superconductor metal oxide composition, and to certain processes for forming the compounds and solutions.
The prior art description of the copper complexes of dialkylaminoalcoholate solutions, for example, appears to focus on aqueous solutions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,446,682 mentions their use to modify cellulose textiles and names diethylethanolamine (Col. 7, line 38) and methyldiethanolamine (Col. 7, line 41) as representative alkylolamines which can be used. Ojima et al. in Z. fur Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie, Band 309 (1961) pp. 110-120 mentions (on pages 110-111) that the state of knowledge about the structure and properties of copper complexes of ethanolamine and its derivatives formed in aqueous solution seemed to be "limited" at the time of their work. Ojima et al. cited earlier work by Hein et al. (Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem., 282, 93 (1955) in regard to their review of the prior art. Hein et al. only show halide-containing complexes. There is no showing or suggestion of organic solvent/alkoxide compositions or their use in making metal oxide superconductor compositions.
The prior art description of calcium alkoxides also appears to be devoid of the novel calcium (dialkylaminoalcoholates) of the instant invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,131 indicates, at Col. 1, lines 52-55, that certain metal alkoxide derivatives of C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkanolamines can be formed without a clear suggestion that a dialkyl moiety "Z" is to be chosen. No exemplification of any calcium (dialkylaminoalcoholate) appears in this patent. International Patent Publication No. WO 85/00365 mentions the possibility of contacting CaO or CaOH with an "activator" and names N-methylethanolamine, a monoalkyl-substituted amine compound, on page 31 thereof (last one). Finally, British Patent No. 1,188,974 indicates (page 3, lines 40 et seq.) formation of metal alcoholates from amino alcohols. It exemplifies a calcium (dialkoxyalkylaminoalcoholate in Example 34 and a calcium (dialkylaminoalcoholate) having oxygen atom interruption in its alkylene moiety in Example 52.